Supporters at the Ally Pally will certainly be hoping for a repeat of the darting dramatics which unfolded that day, after then relatively unknown The Spartan shocked audiences by forcing more experienced Newton into a sudden death decider, going on to beat him 3-2. With our latest bet of the day, lucky Coral customers can back that same scoreline to occur at a generous 7/2, though this time it would not be a surprise.

After his underdog arrowsmith upset in the last 64, Reyes illustrated emphatically once more that he has the beating of The Warrior, dispatching the Englishman by a one leg difference at the same stage, but this time on the PDC Pro Tour.

Unbeaten in two against this opponent, with their last battle only in May 2015, means The Spartan should be sharp against Newton, a foe he now knows well and is odds-on at 8/11 to sink again.

These prices belie Reyes’ world ranking behind The Warrior but, as the World Darts Championship has shown again this time around, with several eye-brow raising first round exits already, numbers can often mean nothing in this competition.

Reyes on the road to success

Tenerife-born talent Reyes only joined the PDC in 2014 but, as mentioned above, has already gone on to make waves. The Canary Islander surprised pundits by reaching the last 16 of the World Darts Championship last time out, first dumping out then number 13 seed Newton and then another recognised pro in Kevin Painter.

No Spaniard has ever gone as far in the competition, with The Spartan stating: “It’s great to make history. All of our friends are watching darts on the internet because it’s not on TV.”

This calendar year has since been a rollercoaster for Reyes, who went on to also reach the last 16 of both the European Championship and the World Cup of Darts, while representing Spain in the latter, and has become a poster boy for ambitious Iberian arrowsmiths along the way.

“Hopefully what it will do in Spain is inspire other people to come and play in the system,” said pundit Rod Harrington at the time of Reyes’ last World Darts Championship victory. With such great odds for him to recreate that feat, don’t miss out on that sublime 7/2 price.